Air filter

[VegasSuave]

Hey all,
Went to dealership couple of weeks ago asking about changing air filter because I thought the bike felt a bit lazy. They said not to worry until 10-12,000 miles. I just cleared 8K.
Today, bike stalls and oil light comes on. Lucky for me it was just 107 on the side of I-15. My phone even shut down because it got too hot, but I digress.
Tow the thing home because dealership can’t take me in and decide to take the filter out. I think it’s a bit dirty. Start the bike for a few minutes and sounds really good.
Will this be enough to stall the bike?
I was also expecting the filter to be inside a bracket rather than just sitting on one. Is this correct?
Thanks

 

[RHB]

toss it get a DNA or MWR, or similar , take your snorkel off, and you will be pleased.

 

[SarahP]

Say, why wouldn't you want to change out the filter if it even looks dirty? That filter looks as though you tilled your garden with it!

It's not surprising that your filter might be slammed, Vegas, given the type of riding you do - hardcore dirt, offroad, out in the desert sand. So what's the downside to changing the filter? I'm a little shocked that the stealership would tell you DWAI until 10-12,000 miles. Did a mech even *look* at your filter? Pretty cavalier of him to tell you to brush it off without even eyeballing it.

I may be full of it concerning moto filters, though -- y'all tell me if I am.

 

[Rocky]

You're right on the money SarahP.

Changing an air filter is something most riders can easily do without any help from a dealer - except maybe to buy a new one.
If you live/ride in a dusty/dirty environment then the air filter needs to be serviced much sooner.
It's simply a matter of checking it frequently. When it looks dirty, it probably is. I can hardly believe the condition of the one shown above. It's well beyond help. Throw it away!
If it's not possible to vacuum a filter reasonably clean or blow the dirt out with compressed air, then spring for a new one. Your engine performance and gas mileage will love you.

 

[VegasSuave]

Say, why wouldn't you want to change out the filter if it even looks dirty? That filter looks as though you tilled your garden with it!

It's not surprising that your filter might be slammed, Vegas, given the type of riding you do - hardcore dirt, offroad, out in the desert sand. So what's the downside to changing the filter? I'm a little shocked that the stealership would tell you DWAI until 10-12,000 miles. Did a mech even *look* at your filter? Pretty cavalier of him to tell you to brush it off without even eyeballing it.

I may be full of it concerning moto filters, though -- y'all tell me if I am.

Tell me about it!
We have some good “history” together already the dealership boys and I.
If I could, I would take my business somewhere else but they are the only ones in town. The thing I hate the most is that I like the product so much but they seem to suck the fun out of the whole experience but they don’t seem to give a rats butt!
Can’t wait to get back there and show the service guy the filter.
K&N filter is being delivered today!
Of course, not purchased through Eurocycle of Las Vegas. They wouldn’t even take my bike when I called from the side of the road!!!

 

[VegasSuave]

You're right on the money SarahP.

Changing an air filter is something most riders can easily do without any help from a dealer - except maybe to buy a new one.
If you live/ride in a dusty/dirty environment then the air filter needs to be serviced much sooner.
It's simply a matter of checking it frequently. When it looks dirty, it probably is. I can hardly believe the condition of the one shown above. It's well beyond help. Throw it away!
If it's not possible to vacuum a filter reasonably clean or blow the dirt out with compressed air, then spring for a new one. Your engine performance and gas mileage will love you.

Thanks for the reply.
To tell you the truth, I thought it was going to be much harder from watching a couple of videos.
Still working on expanding my tool box. I know it’s not a good excuse since all I need was a small screwdriver and that funny looking tip.
I’ll get better as I try to figure out things without the help of dealership.
I’m sure I’ll get better with tips from you all.

 

[Rocky]

none of us were born knowing everything about a motorcycle. Most of us learned what we know from trial and error over the years so make no apologies for your limited knowledge or tools. You'll get on to it.
This is a very civil and helpful forum. Don't hesitate to ask questions. Newbies are treated with respect and we don't allow anyone to be belittled.
Modern motorcycles have become so technically hard to work on due to all the electronics there isn't much left for the owner to service except oil and filters.

 

[VegasSuave]

none of us were born knowing everything about a motorcycle. Most of us learned what we know from trial and error over the years so make no apologies for your limited knowledge or tools. You'll get on to it.
This is a very civil and helpful forum. Don't hesitate to ask questions. Newbies are treated with respect and we don't allow anyone to be belittled.
Modern motorcycles have become so technically hard to work on due to all the electronics there isn't much left for the owner to service except oil and filters.

Thanks so much for the encouragement.

 

[SarahP]

THREAD DRIFT ALERT --

Sorry to hijack your thread, Vegas, but Holy Cow! Just googled an air filter for my Street Twin -- $50 to $80!!!

Highway robbery!

What is it made of, muslin scraps from an offcast robe worn by a virginal Greek oracle?!

 

[VegasSuave]

THREAD DRIFT ALERT --

Sorry to hijack your thread, Vegas, but Holy Cow! Just googled an air filter for my Street Twin -- $50 to $80!!!

Highway robbery!

What is it made of, muslin scraps from an offcast robe worn by a virginal Greek oracle?!

Yeah, and you can’t even clean the darn thing!
Went with the K&N for $58. This one you can wash and it’s supposed to be tons better.
Will let you know tomorrow.

 

[RHB]

K&N is a good filter, but it won't give you any better performance. It is washable reusable, but you will need to buy the oil to recharge it and a cleaning solution.
If you want a slightly better performance as well as reusable, get a DNA filter or MWR, and there are also others out there that are good. Keep in mind on a Street Twin no filter change will increase your power much but will give you more air. It you want a little bit better breathing also remove the snorkel and the gasket, it is the most restricting part of the air intake. The premium filters are not cheap, anything with "hi performance" in the name will cost you bucks.

 

[DaveM]

If you riding in very dusty condition and it look that way I would rather keep the filter in and not remove it completely. You might need to do this more frequently than what the dealer said. I am however surprised that they said what they did.

 

[dazco]

I dunno if UNI filer makes one for this bike, but i have used them in my old speedmaster and now had one for 65000 miles in my Tbird. Less expensive than a stock throw away filter and lasts.....well, 65000 so far and still in good shape. I have cleaned it uncountable times, and in dusty conditions it;s a necessity unless you wanna spend most of your miles with bad MPG and performance or spend more on filters than gas. Like was said, a filter alone won;t improve performance but remving intake restrictions can help on some bikes. On my Tbird i removed 2 things that improve performance considerably, but i doubt they;d have made much difference without the fact i have tors and a custom map and decat. But in any case, if they make a UNI for this bike you would pay less than k&N or most any other and they work great, last, and you can clean it as often as you like. I clean mine on a regular basis even if i doesn't look dirty in order to insure max MPG performance at all times. I never go long enough between cleanings to allow it to get restrictive to any degree worth noting.